How to Increase App Discoverability with In-App Events
The introduction of iOS 15 is bringing many new updates that will enable developers to highlight the events taking place inside their apps to entice new users to download the app and engage with existing users.
We’re, of course, talking about the new in-app events coming to the App Store later this year. We’re very excited to share everything we know about this upcoming feature, so read on to find out how in-app events will improve the way you market your app.
What are in-app events?
In-app events are timely events happening inside your app, think fitness challenges, live streams, game competitions, movie premieres, and so on. Soon, these events will be front and centre on the iOS and iPadOS App Stores, and also crop up in various places throughout the stores, giving you a whole new way to promote all the exciting goings-on in your app and your community.
How does it work?
There are a few ways users will be able to discover your in-app events:
- Your currently published events will be displayed on your product page.
- When users search for your app, your event card (if you have an event published) appears next to the app for existing users, while users who don’t have your app will see screenshots instead.
- Users can also search for in-app events directly, and when they do, the event card will appear alongside the app.
What’s more, App Store editors will curate some of the most exciting and innovative in-app events for the Today, Games, and Apps tabs on App Store, as well as the new App Store widget that’s coming to iPhones and iPads.
In-app events are not just for directing users from the App Store to your app. Since you can start promoting an event up to two weeks before it starts, if a user finds a future event they wish to take part in, they can request a notification with just one tap and be notified when it comes time to join the event.
How do I create and manage in-app events?
When in-app events arrive at the App Store, you’ll be able to manage them through App Store Connect. From there, you can set up an event by naming it, writing a short and a long description, adding an image or a video that’s up to 30 seconds long, defining country or region availability, setting the start and end times, and more.
Your event will then go through a review process before it goes live and becomes discoverable on the App Store. To monitor your event’s performance, you can find many different metrics on the App Analytics page.
To learn more about this update, watch Apple’s announcement video from WWDC21 or go to the official webpage.
Why We’re Excited
Whether it’s a client project or an in-house product, we at Digital Workroom are always on the lookout for new ways to expand our user base. And in-app events will come as the perfect tool for us to heighten our apps’ discoverability and to connect with wider audiences.
That’s not all, we’re also very much looking forward to exploring how in-app events will help keep our current users up-to-date with what’s going on in our apps and potentially reconnect with lapsed users.
Want to get your app noticed?
Whether you’re trying to attract new users, engage with your current users, or reconnect with past users, our team can help. Get in touch via hello@digitalworkroom.co.uk.
